The Elite Alleles of OsSPL4 Regulate Grain Size and Increase Grain Yield in Rice

Grain weight and grain number, the two important yield traits, are mainly determined by grain size and panicle architecture in rice. Herein, we report the identification and functional analysis of OsSPL4 in panicle and grain development of rice. Using CRISPR/Cas9 system, two elite alleles of OsSPL4 were obtained, which exhibited an increasing number of grains per panicle and grain size, resulting in increase of rice yield. Cytological analysis showed that OsSPL4 could regulate spikelet development by promoting cell division. The results of RNA-seq and qRT-PCR validations also demonstrated that several MADS-box and cell-cycle genes were up-regulated in the mutation lines. Co-expression network revealed that many yield-related genes were involved in the regulation network of OsSPL4. In addition, OsSPL4 could be cleaved by the osa-miR156 in vivo, and the OsmiR156-OsSPL4 module might regulate the grain size in rice. Further analysis indicated that the large-grain allele of OsSPL4 in indica rice might introgress from aus varieties under artificial selection. Taken together, our findings suggested that OsSPL4 could be as a key regulator of grain size by acting on cell division control and provided a strategy for panicle architecture and grain size modification for yield improvement in rice.